Difference between revisions of "Expressing "don't need to" with "buyong""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
In Chinese, 要 (yào) has many meanings, one of which is "need to." However, when you want to express "don't need to", you actually use 不用 (bùyòng), not 不要 (bùyào).
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In Chinese, [[Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings|要 (yào) has many meanings]], one of which is "need to." However, when you want to express "don't need to," you actually use 不用 (bùyòng), not 不要 (bùyào).
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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*你 <em>不用</em> 过去 ,她 会 过来 的 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùyòng</em> guòqù, tā huì guòlái de.</span><span class="trans">You don't need to go over there. She will come here.</span>
 
*你 <em>不用</em> 过去 ,她 会 过来 的 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùyòng</em> guòqù, tā huì guòlái de.</span><span class="trans">You don't need to go over there. She will come here.</span>
 
*今天 <em>不用</em> 加班 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>bùyòng</em> jiābān.</span><span class="trans">We don't need to work overtime today.</span>
 
*今天 <em>不用</em> 加班 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <em>bùyòng</em> jiābān.</span><span class="trans">We don't need to work overtime today.</span>
*这 件 事<em>不用</em> 跟 他 说 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>bùyòng</em> gēn tā shuō.</span><span class="trans">You don't need to tell him about this.</span>
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*这 件 事 <em>不用</em> 跟 他 说 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>bùyòng</em> gēn tā shuō.</span><span class="trans">You don't need to tell him about this.</span>
 
*告诉 他 明天 <em>不用</em> 来 了 。<span class="pinyin">Gàosu tā míngtiān <em>bùyòng</em> lái le.</span><span class="trans">Tell him that he doesn't need to come tomorrow.</span>
 
*告诉 他 明天 <em>不用</em> 来 了 。<span class="pinyin">Gàosu tā míngtiān <em>bùyòng</em> lái le.</span><span class="trans">Tell him that he doesn't need to come tomorrow.</span>
*买 吧 ,<em>不用</em> 考虑 价钱 。<span class="pinyin">Mǎi ba, <em>bùyòng</em> kǎolǜ jiàqian.</span><span class="trans">Buy it. You don't need to worry about its price.</span>
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*买 吧 ,<em>不用</em> 考虑 价钱 。<span class="pinyin">Mǎi ba, <em>bùyòng</em> kǎolǜ jiàqián.</span><span class="trans">Buy it. You don't need to consider the price.</span>
 
*今天 人 少,<em>不用</em> 排队 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān rén shǎo, <em>bùyòng</em> páiduì.</span><span class="trans">There aren't many people today. We don't need to wait in line.</span>
 
*今天 人 少,<em>不用</em> 排队 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān rén shǎo, <em>bùyòng</em> páiduì.</span><span class="trans">There aren't many people today. We don't need to wait in line.</span>
*你们 <em>不用</em> 都 来 ,我们 不 需要 这么 多 人 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bùyòng</em> dōu lái, wǒmen bù xūyào zhème duō rén.</span><span class="trans">Not all of you need to come. We don't need that many people.</span>
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*你们 <em>不用</em> 都 来 ,我们 不 需要 这么 多 人 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bùyòng</em> dōu lái, wǒmen bù xūyào zhème duō rén.</span><span class="trans">Not all of you need to come. We don't need this many people.</span>
  
 
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== Colloquial Saying ==
 
== Colloquial Saying ==
  
In spoken Chinese, the rhetorical question, "这还用说(吗)?", indicates the speaker believes that the statement is obvious. It is equivalent to the speaker saying, "is that seriously a question?" or "do you really need to ask?" Often "这还用说(吗)?" is said in an impatient tone of voice.  
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In spoken Chinese, the rhetorical question, "这还用说吗?" indicates the speaker believes that the statement is obvious. It is equivalent to the speaker saying, "does that even need to be said?" or "is that seriously a question?" This 用 is the direct opposite of the 不用 in this grammar point, but you don't hear it a lot.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|不用|B1|Subj. + 不用 + Verb Phrase|<em>不用</em> 担心 。|grammar point| ASGECD0E}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|不用|B1|Subj. + 不用 + Verb Phrase|<em>不用</em> 担心 。|grammar point| ASGECD0E}}
 
{{Similar|Negative commands with "bie"}}
 
{{Similar|Negative commands with "bie"}}
 
{{Similar|Negative commands with "buyao"}}
 
{{Similar|Negative commands with "buyao"}}
 
{{Similar|Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings}}
 
{{Similar|Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings}}
{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "must" with "dei"}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Translation|don't need to}}
 
{{Translation|don't need to}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Auxiliary verbs}}

Latest revision as of 07:37, 22 April 2019

In Chinese, 要 (yào) has many meanings, one of which is "need to." However, when you want to express "don't need to," you actually use 不用 (bùyòng), not 不要 (bùyào).

Structure

Subj. + 不用 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

  • 不用 谢 。Bùyòng xiè.You don't need to thank me.
  • 不用 担心 。Bùyòng dānxīn.You don't need to worry.
  • 孩子 不用 买 票 。Háizi bùyòng mǎi piào.Kids don't need to buy tickets.
  • 不用 过去 ,她 会 过来 的 。bùyòng guòqù, tā huì guòlái de.You don't need to go over there. She will come here.
  • 今天 不用 加班 。Jīntiān bùyòng jiābān.We don't need to work overtime today.
  • 这 件 事 不用 跟 他 说 。Zhè jiàn shì bùyòng gēn tā shuō.You don't need to tell him about this.
  • 告诉 他 明天 不用 来 了 。Gàosu tā míngtiān bùyòng lái le.Tell him that he doesn't need to come tomorrow.
  • 买 吧 ,不用 考虑 价钱 。Mǎi ba, bùyòng kǎolǜ jiàqián.Buy it. You don't need to consider the price.
  • 今天 人 少,不用 排队 。Jīntiān rén shǎo, bùyòng páiduì.There aren't many people today. We don't need to wait in line.
  • 你们 不用 都 来 ,我们 不 需要 这么 多 人 。Nǐmen bùyòng dōu lái, wǒmen bù xūyào zhème duō rén.Not all of you need to come. We don't need this many people.

Colloquial Saying

In spoken Chinese, the rhetorical question, "这还用说吗?" indicates the speaker believes that the statement is obvious. It is equivalent to the speaker saying, "does that even need to be said?" or "is that seriously a question?" This 用 is the direct opposite of the 不用 in this grammar point, but you don't hear it a lot.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books